


in need of a dance

by ayas3ri



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Homesick Lance (Voltron), Kinda Alien!Reader?, Langst, Reader is not familiar with Earth so.., sort of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 09:45:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12363003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ayas3ri/pseuds/ayas3ri
Summary: Lance is feeling homesick, but he tries to hide it. You're just there for him.





	in need of a dance

**Author's Note:**

> [I don't like hurting my space son; and yet I still do that ;___; Sorry Lance, I promise I'll be good to you in the future]

Lance wasn’t the same as he was at the beginning of this adventure. _Something changed;_ but camouflaged behind a large flirtatious smile. Not many noticed—but there was a clear sign in the way he was acting, in the way he was _speaking_. He still managed to joke around, flirting with aliens or persons he found attractive; but the word s didn’t have the same impact, they weren't as excited as before. They felt forced or spoken usually in a half-hearted manner. He is lacking with the touches, as opposed to how he used to be a lot bolder, not shying from skin to skin contact: a bear hug, a hand on the shoulder or platonic hand holding. _Lance used to invade your private space without feeling sorry about it; but now, he_ apologized _for it, as if he was self-conscious about it._ All of that was _gone_. Kept himself away from the others. Still smiled, but the shine was gone. _Hi_ _s mind was always drifting someplace else_. Whenever he knew someone wasn’t looking, he dropped the fake happiness he created around him to fool the others and reverted to another self of him.

 _The one that was homesick_. The melancholic side of Lance that actually missed his home and his family back on Earth. The one he believes he perfected in hiding from other’s eyes, but it was clearly visible to whom cares enough to observe.

 _His smile would turn into a frown and his brows would knit above his gloomy blue eyes..._  

It hurt you to see him like this. The downcast eyes, the obvious need for him to cry his feelings out, but knowing that he couldn’t seem weak in front of the others. The conflicted expression on his handsome face, twisted and unsmiling, clearly feeling a lot more pressure lately now that he has lost connection with his favorite lion. It all started to stack on him and he was losing control. Had no appetite and his focus during training was waning. Disappeared in his room as soon as they finished a training session or after an important mission. He didn’t celebrate anymore, didn’t make a fool out of himself. Isolated himself while pretending he was _absolutely ok_. But those longing gaze out the window, the long sighs and the time spent in the map room raised a flag inside your head.

Lance was suffering and it was up to you to reassure him that it was not as bad as it might seem. _That things might get better someday if he just kept his cool._

You sneak unseen from the other members, not wanting to sour their mood. And you wanted to talk with Lance, alone, knowing that if the paladins knew about this, they'd come with a plan to help him. Your mind already knows where to find Lance—and your steps firmly guide you to that room. You take a deep breath before entering, knowing that this might be a futile battle. _What if Lance didn’t want to open up to you?_ You weren’t close—you were on good terms with every paladin, but you never felt a close connection with either of them. Even if you were always worried about their safety and you were supportive of their actions, aware of their feelings and able to sympathize with them; you didn’t think they thought of  _you_ as something more special. _That of a close friend._ Or more.

You just did what every teammate would’ve done.  _You are there for them_.

But it was a battle worth fighting. Maybe Lance had no one to actually talk to, so this might be a nice change of pace. You couldn’t know the outcome. You just took a step forward and entered the map room, where you undoubtedly found the missing Blue paladin. _He just stood there in the middle of the universe, stars, planets and galaxies shining brightly against his tan complexion:_ he looked beautiful, surrounded by that blue light. It felt like a dream; and it actually made you stop for a second to admire the scene unfolding in front of your eyes.

You’ve always believed that there was something more to Lance than aimless flirting and crude jokes: _and now you knew what._ He wasn’t always the goofy one or the comic relief. He was suffering more than anyone could imagine, despite all of the paladins fighting with their own issues and demons. Lance seemed  _lonely_ , those broad shoulders drooping and back slightly hunched over—not like the prideful stance he had when he became _a defender of the universe._ He looked defeated, fists clenched. But his head was held high, staring at a certain glowing spot that was probably the Earth. His eyes shone with loss and miss, glassy but still holding a flame that was burning. He might be sad now, but he wasn’t entirely defeated.

Just… _remembering._

You take a step, opening your mouth to call his name; but you realize that your voice has failed you. Somehow, you can’t disrupt the peace and serenity that surrounded the boy. You can only silently walk towards his side, steps muffled, hoping that you wouldn’t scare him much with your sudden presence. You stop next to him and look up—he briefly glances at you, showing you that he was aware of you being in the same room from the start. _Perceptive._ At least sometimes. You smile shyly and he tries to return it, but fails miserably. It looks broken, _too crooked_. He turns his gaze back to the blue points of lights, staring intensely at that one planet you knew it was called Earth. His home planet; you didn’t know much about it, but the way Lance was talking about it, it must’ve been a gem. He described as being it extremely hot, with golden beaches surrounded by crystal blue water. He often talked about the delicious food there, and how much fun he had with his family: all these stories put him into a pensive mood, and he’d quickly disappear to be alone afterwards. Probably thought of all of this, of his parents and siblings and all the good things he’s missing there.

 _You wished you could be here for Lance, more often than you tried to be._ But you don’t say anything and keep quiet, waiting for him to open up to you. Maybe he will, _sooner or later_. He didn’t push you away yet, so there _might_ be a chance. Together, you two stare at Earth, taking advantage to get closer to him. You had so many questions for him, but not the courage to ask. You had to do something, though. So, after chewing on your lower lip, you grab his hand, sensing that he was open and vulnerable. His body freezes for a few seconds and he turns his head to you, surprise written all over his face. Blushing a little, you ignore the embarrassment of the situation (knowing that, in other circumstances, this was a dream of his coming true).

He comically opens his mouth and only a stupid squeak comes out. You chuckle at that reaction, finding the courage to speak meaningfully “ _I’m here for you,_ Lance. I kinda know what you're feeling...”

Lance’s mouth immediately shuts and he’s solemn. He looks at the tiny planet in the immensity of the universe and then lets out a heavy sigh. Squeezing your hand tightly, he closes his eyes.

“I miss my home. My family, my friends—they probably think I’m dead. They’re worried sick and my mother, heh…” he chuckles dryly, no hint of amusement. “I hope nothing happened to her since she has the tendency to overreact. I know that I should be patient, that maybe one day I’ll be able to go back. Or that the others struggle with much more important struggles than me and that my homesickness pales in comparison with… _something else._  Maybe I’m just overreacting and I feel stupid for feelings all these  _things._  It’s stupid, but I can’t help it and it’s killing me and—“ he pauses, taking a deep breath and clearly trying to hold his tears at bay. But they were glistening in the dim lights. “And—And I know that I have to save the universe, that I was chosen for something greater than I would have ever believed in my whole life. It’s important for me to save the universe…It’s my duty, I can’t just give up.” He looks down at his feet, his voice lowering to a whisper. “But lately, I feel like I’m not that important to the team anymore…There’s no point for me to be here, I-I just…So maybe I should leave, this is not for me—“

“Don’t say that, Lance!” you say, a bit louder than necessary. “You are part of the team, we couldn’t do this without you! The Red Lion chose you, of course you’re still valid and an asset to us! Don’t ever think that you’re a burden, we  _need_ you, Lance.” You sigh, then continue, seeing that he was actually listening to you. “And what you’re feeling—don’t think for a second that they’re stupid. Don’t consider them not as important as what Shiro’s feeling, or Keith. You can’t help it. And that’s ok. Don’t be afraid to feel. You’re not stupid. Please, don’t put yourself down…You’re cheering us up, we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. And one day, you’ll go back to Earth and you’ll see everyone dear.  _I promise._ ”

You don’t know if the words you told him were helpful or not, but you tried. You may not be the best at pep-talk, but you were there for him and he should know it. That he shouldn’t fight this all alone. That he can confide in others and that they'll listen. Spurred on by the momentum, you step in front of him and gently place a palm on his cheek. You smile at his confused expression, then add “You’re  _precious_ , Lance. Don’t ever forget that.”

And for the first time in a while, he smiles largely, _so sweetly_. It felt as if the sun resided in that grin for a few seconds, as he leans against your touch slightly. He nods, sniffing a little bit. You remove your hand, feeling shy after your actions. Showing affection was not something you normally did, so you hoped Lance wouldn’t take it the wrong way. _Not as if you didn’t have a crush on him—that was already settled_. But you hoped he wouldn’t pick up on your hints.

“Hey, thanks, [name],” he finally speaks, his voice returning back to normal. At least a little bit. “I appreciate it.” He laughs boisterously. “I almost fell for you there, ya know.”

Your breath hitched in your throat and your cheeks felt like burning. “Uhh, I…” What were you supposed to say to this?! You had to think of something to say, quick!

“Just kidding, I already—“

“Ahaha, you know what I’ve heard?” you interrupt him, not listening to what he was trying to say very shamefully. “Th-That—uhh you can push melancholy by dancing! Aha—ha…”

“Huh…” he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, forgetting his previous idea. “Well, I don’t really know how to dance, but…”  _‘See, [name]? That was such a stupid idea!’_ “I guess I could try, show you some killer moves!” and he demonstrated by making some ridiculous moves that only made you smile. It was then that you realized that you were still holding hands; and that he didn’t plan on letting go anytime soon. But you did let him go instead, noticing that your palm got a little sweaty from the nerves: you didn’t want Lance to think you were disgusting because of your clammy hands.

“Ha ha, yeah, I don’t know how to dance either, it was stupid of me—“

“Hey, wait a second!” he lunges towards you, grabbing your wrist as you were quickly trying to get away from the boy that created so many emotions inside of you. Getting more attached only meant trouble— _and you were already knee-deep in love with the Blue paladin_. You shiver at his touch, looking more confused by his actions. He wasn’t showing anything behind that smile, though. You couldn’t read him. “I didn’t say I dislike your idea. I appreciate you trying to cheer me up, I really do! So I wouldn’t mind fooling around a little bit.”

His grin seems convincing enough—so you nod. “Then…Let’s dance.” Just on cue, as if someone (or the whole castle) was listening to you two, slow and romantic music started to play all around the room. The kind that needed closeness to be fully experienced. A bit surprised by this, you wonder if this wasn’t all planned by someone—or if this was even a function possible for the castle to produce on its own. But all of those thoughts disappear as Lance wraps his arms around your waist and brings you closer to his body.  _it didn't matter._ You gasp a little as he mumbles something out, embarrassed and totally avoiding your gaze. _Was that a blush on his cheeks_? It was already dark, so it must’ve been your mind playing tricks on you.

“This is how you do it, no?” you hear him say and his sheepish tone of voice makes you self-aware on what you two were doing. _Holding hands so boldly?_ This only happened in your dreams. And his palms were sweatier than yours, _if that was possible._ He was as nervous and new at this as you were.

“Um, I don’t know. I am not familiar with this kind of… _dancing…_ ”

“R-Right, uh…” he started moving, stepping to the side. You followed his lead, unsure in your steps. “I’ll—I’ll teach you then..”

You two don’t know what you’re doing: you’re just spinning around, following the melody’s rhythm. It’s slow and romantic, filled with passionate violins and sweet lyrics that probably would’ve made you blush deep red if you knew the language it was spoken in. But you read them with your heart and the mood is quickly set in, ignoring your fumbling steps or forgetting to count how many times you’ve stepped on Lance’s feet or him on yours. After so many minutes of avoiding each other’s gaze, the moment you make contact, it stays there. Because you were mesmerized, seeing how the glowing planets and stars around you shined in his blue eyes—he danced in an aura that made him look angelic. You didn’t think he’d be more beautiful than this, but here he was, in front of your eyes, being all  _amazing._ And when he smiled toothily, attempting to be his old seductive self, it left you breathless.

The song is coming to an end—you both feel it. And when the music stop, you stop too. You’re left in silence, filling in the gaps. No words needed to be said as you stared at one another, slightly out of air for different reasons. He cocks his head to the side in a cute manner and you almost feel like he’s going to lean in and kiss you. The atmosphere spoke so, soft and intense. But you weren’t sure if that is supposed to be for now. You take a deep breath, pressing yourself closer to him, still holding onto his hand and him still digging his nails into your waist.

“You’re beautiful…” you let that sink in before gently calling his name.

And he crumbles. His face scrunches, he bites his lower lip in an attempt to stop his sobbing—but he’s already crying, tears running loose on his cheeks. “Lan—“ your words are interrupted by him bringing you into a tight hug, squeezing the life out of you. He buries his nose in the crook of your neck, sobbing into your jacket, while his hands claw at your back in an attempt of support. You react immediately, latching yourself onto him and responding to the heartwarming hug, knowing that he was only seeking comfort. You make yourself comfortable, inhaling his ocean scent that he kept back from where he calls home, and gently rub circles on his back.

“Let it all out…” you whisper encouraging words, knowing that this was the only way he could vent. And you were glad you chased after him, that you spent effort in making him feel better for himself. You just wanted to see him happy, to protect him. And, one day, he’ll see his dreams come true. One day, he’ll go back home, when this is all over. With or without you by his side. But, right now, only this moment mattered. Only  _he_ mattered. And, as he cried into your shoulder, his whole lanky body trembling in your arms, you couldn’t help but feel that you did the right thing.

Because this boy was a ray of sunshine. And he only deserved the best.

_“Thank you…”_


End file.
